The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-06
The Summer Session.

The adjourned session of the Legislature
of this State meets to-day. 1t is not pleas
ant time of the year for legislative work.
The weather is warm, and it is not reason
able to expect that the members will devote
themselves as closely to their duties as they
| do when the weather is cooler.
There is great deal of work to be done.
! Many bills introduced at the regular session
were not acted upon Some of them were
| reported back to the House or the Senate.
| while others are still in the hands of the
! committees to which they were referred
Some Of the bills are quite important, but
there is none Of them which ought to take
up n great deal of the time of either house.
Although the number of bills that are
waiting to be acted upon is large great
many more from present indications will be
introduced. This county has several new
ones and doubtless the same is true with re-
gard to great many other counties. OF
course it will be impossible TO act upon all
of them unless the Legislature remains in
session during the remainder of the year,
and there is 10 probability that it will do
anything of that kind.
Would it not be advisable to appoint a
joint committee of the House and Senate to
select bills to be first consideredi OF course
the committee would select the most impor-
tant ones. If these are passed upon before
the time determined upon for adjournment
is reached, then the less important ones can
be taken up.
A great many bills are introduced which
have no merit, and occupy the time
which ought TO be given to really important
measures, but there doesn't appear 10 be any
way, except the regular one, to get rid of
them There is one thing which the Legis-
lature might do with benefit to itself and the
entire State. 1t might pass n few gen eral
laws which would enable County Commits
sioners and City Councils to do many things
for which legislation is now needed. a
great many of these local measures are not
understood except by the members who
represent the localities from which they
come, and frequently they know nothing
about them. If they are of much interest
they arc always supported by lobby. Why
not open the way for having these matters
disposed Of in the towns and counties where
they are understood, even if constitutional
amendment is necessary for that purpose 2
The Legislature would then be relieved of
heavy burden, the State of a heavy expense
and the people would be better satisfied.
One of the questions which the Legisla
ture will have to deal with is that relating
to the convicts There is quite a strong
feeling with regard TO it throughout the
State. 1t is not one that can be dealt with
hastily. If there were any other system
that had proved to be wholly satisfactory it
would not be so difficult to handle the ques-
ton, but there isn't. Whatever is done will
have to he done ON new line. The Gov
ernor has made some suggestions, and mem
bers of the Legislature have advanced some
views pertinent to the subject. If no new
system is adopted it is probable that the
present one will be so modified as TO make it |
more acceptable.
While there will be a strong pressure on
the Legislature in favor of this or that bill,
it should not be forgotten that the people
want only carefully considered laws enacted. |
Hasty legislation is generally the source of
troubles aud evils.